West Side Gelateria to Open Soon
A few weeks ago in an Everything but the Sink article we mentioned the new gelateria that will be opening in the storefront next door to Urban Roots on Rhode Island. David Simpson, former partner at Dolci, professional server, and gelato maker extraordiniare is the owner, and he's planning to open his doors by November.
Gelato G's is the name, and Simpson and Urban Roots are working together to unify the storefront, lending beauty and value to the building by making updates and changes to the currently unoccupied space. The glass windows that lend great light and nice detail to the front of Urban Roots will extend over to Simpson's side of the building, and in addition to other interior improvements, the two businesses will be joined by an open doorway in the same way that Cafe Aroma and Talking Leaves “share” a space on the corner of Bidwell and Elmwood.
The shop will offer cappuccino, espresso and Simpson's remarkable gelato, and don't be surprised if Simpson's great relationship with the owners of Dolci results in a good selection of sweet treats as well. 
Simpson is also mulling over a lot of other ideas that may come to fruition in their own time, including the incorporation of an eclectic small plate menu and the installation of WiFi.
Stay tuned to YUM, we'll be sure to let you know the minute Gelato G's opens its doors.
For a little more information about the goings on in this space, check out Newell's post on the happenings at Urban.
What Others Have To Say
What Do You Think?
Related Articles
-
Papa Jake's Saloon
A corner joint needn't be a dive.
And Papa Jake's doesn't make its patrons choose between a laid-back bar atmosphere and delicious, fresh food. Scott Leary, the new owner of Papa Jake’s Saloon on Elmwood, knows how to provide casual comfort and a very satisfying dining experience.
“We don’t take shortcuts here at Papa Jake’s,” Leary says. He proves this with Papa Jake’s fresh and tasty menu. “I don’t want to call this a late night menu, because we have amaz … - Dec 17th 2008, 6:34am
- Continue Reading
- 6 Comments
-
Gimme a (coffee) break
With the opening of more and more coffee houses downtown, some people wonder if Buffalo is really a coffee town. Buffalo is the original coffee town!
The "coffee break" which is taken for granted as a standard part of any work day has only been around for about a hundred years. Coffee culture has continued to flourish in this country and the espresso boom of the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s has seen to it that every other gas station in America now has a barista on staff. Perha … - Dec 8th 2008, 11:47am
- Continue Reading
- 3 Comments
-
Sea Bar-City
It's great to see stylish, hip, new restaurants pop up downtown such as Sea Bar on Ellicott Street, which specializes in contemporary Japanese food. A clean ultra-modern space, Sea Bar’s dining room is quaint and inviting. The sleek sushi bar has counter seating and the wet bar, with beer, sake, and wine, has at least 10 sakes to choose from on any given night. We were happy to try a Sojitio, a sake mojito, which had the right amount of mint without too much sweetness.
Sea B … - Dec 2nd 2008, 9:49am
- Continue Reading
- 6 Comments
-
Dinosaur Stalks Buffalo!!
Ten years ago, the downtown of My Fair City was forever altered when a Big Dinosaur appeared on the scene. Thankfully—unlike 1950’s Tokyo—when this dino showed up our downtown wasn’t flattened, but considerably improved. Dinosaur Bar B Que, a restaurant that originated in downtown Syracuse in the 1980’s, planted its foot in downtown Rochester in 1998. It was an instant hit—it’s common to have a line waiting to get in at all times. And it’s clearly Hog Heaven— … - Nov 21st 2008, 9:05am
- Continue Reading
- 50 Comments
Comment Options
chrish
This is HUGE. I have always loved this unique intersection. With the streets coming together in the way it does, it has a remarkable resemblance to a stage-set.
The corners lack a neighborhood idenity. I've always tossed around the idea of calling it The Five Points. Any takers? :0)
Report this
aMUSINGs
Wow! Can't wait! What a great addition to the neighborhood. Hope to see him install the Wi-Fi...I know I'd make the walk regualry for a cup of coffee if he did.
Report this
Perry
I'll definitely make the walk over when they are open. From what I understand, up until a few months ago, the location was a bodega that would let drug dealers make transactions in plain site, inside and outside the door. I guess some of the Urban Roots folks and neighbors chased them out of business. Chalk one up for the good guys!
Report this
distas
I took a tour a little while back with Harvey for the West Side Community Collaborative and he showed us the plans for this "five points" intersection. what theve done with this area and what they plan to do is really exciting!!!!!!! KEEP IT UP!
Report this
Drew
this is very good.
Report this
jaws
i hate to bring up the "g" word but i continue to be concerned about gentrification in this westside neighborhood. no critical conversation about the loss of a neighborhood resource for food (not to completely dismiss the alleged illegal activity, but where are low income people going to get food?).i guess i just don't think any development is good development. and i love gelato! but really i think that critical analysis is seriously needed. please.
Report this
stellabella
I am sorry, but did you ever buy anything at this store? I did, and I refuse to see the closing of a shop that sold primarily cigarettes, junk food, and beer to the neighborhood as a loss. The number of children under ten that frequented this store in order to buy ice cream and candy everyday was out of control. Their store reeked of smoke (cigarettes), was unsanitary, and did not offer real food. There are corner stores with better real food selections within 3 blocks in two directions (6 within 10), and another store offering beer, cigarettes, and junk food across the street.
The opportunity for children in this neighborhood to discover artisan made gelato for treats after school is certainly a positive. Not even to mention the vegetable, herb, and fruit plants and trees sold at Urban Roots for reasonable prices, which people in the immediate neighborhood raise in order to eat fresh products.
Gentrification, sure. But if it allows people that live within a walkable distance access to foods that are not entirely composed of chemicals, then more power to 'em!
Report this
RaChaCha
Likewise, I was on one of Harvey's tours earlier this year, with several others from RaChaCha who are working on a vacant properties initiative. Urban Roots was one of the highlights of the tour, and we spent quite a while there hearing the great story of how it came to be, and plans for the building which are clearly coming to fruition with amazing speed. BTW, I've often heard it said - not completely tongue-in-cheek - that two signs of a neighborhood turn-around are a coffee shop and an ice cream shop. Five Points is getting both - Sweet!
Great to get these updates on the progress.
Report this
Martin
I would give anything for something like this to open on our corner. It would be worth losing "Bill's Deli" which caters to a 40oz'er and scratch off ticket crowd who do nothing but bring down Allentown [not to mention the liter they create]. Good Luck guy's!
Report this
RhodeIslandBoy
I'm way ready for some gelato, and if gentrification means no drug dealers hanging on corners transacting business right in the open 24 hours a day, no car stereos blaring profanity and shaking my whole house at 2 am, no people who believe the whole West Side is their personal trash bin, and no boarded-up, squatter-filled houses, then bring on the gentrification.
I have lived a block away from Urban Roots for the past 16 years and I love the diversity. I have Puerto Rican neighbors, Yemeni neighbors, honkey neighbors, black neighbors and Vietnamese neighbors and almost all of them are great neighbors who won't be pushed out by any so-called gentrification. This corner already has and will continue to give hope to those who have given up on this neighborhood (and who now believe it is normal to put up with the crap they put up with despite being good people) that it is no longer ok to spew profanity out of your mouth at high decibels or throw 40 ouncers against brick buildings when you finish them off or to treat my sidewalk and front lawn as a trash receptacle.
And if someone opened a quality food store in this neighborhood, it would be welcomed and supported. Queen Sheba was a horrible, horrible corner store. It offered no redeeming value and anybody who misses it had blinders on.
Report this
Tesla
Right on RIB.
Report this
bobbyjohnny
"Let them eat Gelato!" eh? :)
Report this